It is of course common practice to store clothing, blankets and other articles made of natural fibers in an atmosphere of paradicholorbenzene, for the purpose of protecting them against moths. This is usually done simply by placing the item in a relatively air-tight bag or box, and enclosing therewithin a quantity of "moth balls" or "moth flakes," which of course sublimate to evolve the protective gaseous atmosphere. Although the approach is simple and effective, the necessary materials may not always be readily at hand, and it may be inconvenient from other standpoints as well.
The prior art has recognized the desirability of providing impregnated web materials suitable for use in wrapping clothes so as to provide insect repellency. For example, Rudisch U.S. Pat. No. 663,684 describes an impregnated paper for such use, one side of which is made impermeable so as to limit escape of the active ingredient. Regan U.S. Pat. No. 339,810 is to generally similar effect.
A need remains for a garment bag, or like article, having a normally dormant fumigant source element incorporated into it, which can readily be activated to evolve a gaseous agent for treatment of the contained item, and it is the broad object of the present invention to provide a novel article having such character and capability.
A more specific object is to provide such an article in which the fumigant source element is activated simply by exposure of one of its surfaces.
Related objects of the invention are to provide a novel strip structure comprised of a multiplicity of integrally formed bags for assembling such articles, arranged end-to-end and readily seperable from one another; to provide a novel article comprised of an open-ended bag in combination with a laminar fumigant pad, providing the source element; and to provide a novel method for the containment and treatment of a garment or the like, utilizing a bag article having the foregoing features and advantages.
Additional objects of the invention are to provide such a bag article and strip structure which are relatively inexpensive and facile to manufacture, and highly convenient and effective to use.